I was raised in a council housing estate in the town of Paisley in Scotland. Ferguslie Park was like many places in the west of Scotland at that time: bleak, rough and tough. (The perfect setting for my first novel, Small Fish Big Fish)
A comic bookstore called ‘Yankee Mags’ helped me escape from reality when I needed to. And even though I found life in the sixties UK exhilarating (yes – plenty of parties, movies, dancing, drinking – all of which found its way into my writing) I never lost my love for reading. But Superman and Spiderman eventually gave way to science fiction books for young adults by the likes of Asimov, Herbert, Niven, Moorcock and Le Guin. (Although I still love the superheroes.)
At twenty-seven, I was lucky enough to met a lass from Australia and pretty soon she convinced me to begin a new life on the other side of the globe. These days, I’m happily settled in the coastal town of Torquay near Melbourne and have two children, Fiona and Gill, and three very naughty grandkids called Mia, Ryder and Ethan (not to forget Bonnie, my pet Spoodle.)
It wasn’t until much later I thought to try my hand at writing.
After a successful career in Marketing for Telstra, Yellow Pages, and CPA Australia, I decided to abandon the corporate rat race to concentrate on my writing. produced the four-part science fiction series, Prosperine, as well as the coming-of-age fiction Small Fish Big Fish set in 1960’s Scotland.
I found it totally absorbing. If you are a budding writer or perhaps just interested in the creative process, you might find my page on the making of the Prosperine Series of value.
If you would like to know more about using what you know to help write a story, read about the background to Small Fish Big Fish here.
Click here if you would like to read my free science fiction ebook for young adults: The Alien Corps.
